Narendra Modi and Emmanuel Macron – ‘Champions of the Earth’
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron have been selected for this year’s ‘Champions of the Earth’ award. This award is UN’s highest environmental honour.
Both the national leaders have been selected in the Policy Leadership category for their pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and promoting new areas and levels of cooperation of environmental action. This statement was given the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
India and France had jointly launched the ISA on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Conference (COP21) in Paris in the year 2015. The ISA is an inter-governmental body of solar-rich nations. Their main objective is to galvanise actions for increasing solar power footprints in 121 potential member countries across the entire world. The ISA headquarters is located in Gurugram near New Delhi, the capital of India.
The Cochin Airport of India is the world’s first fully solar-airport. It has also been selected for the award. It has been selected in the Entrepreneurial Vision category for its leadership in the use of sustainable energy.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), while announcing the award, commended Macaron’s work on the Global Pact for Environment. Modi’s “unprecedented pledge” to eliminate all single-use plastic in India 2022 was also noted.
This annual ‘Champions of the Earth’ prize is awarded to outstanding leaders of the government, civil society or private sector whose actions have had or in the near future will have a positive effect on the global environmental topography.
The award has been presented annually for 13 years now. A total of 84 people and organizations have been recognized as recipients of this prestigious award.
This year the Prime Minister has made India proud the inclusion of his name in the list of the ‘Champions of the Earth.’
